Voice search research. This has been a hot topic for years, and statistics show growth that can no longer be ignored. As we approach 2020—the year com Score predicts to mark 50% voice search adoption, businesses must embrace voice search to succeed in the evolving landscape.
During the annual Google Marketing Live Event that took place last week, Ben Gomes the SVP of Search, News, and Assistant spoke about ‘The Future of Search’. His presentation addressed advances in technology aimed at ‘reducing friction’ in our lives by leveraging AI. Part of the innovations in reducing friction will inevitably focus on voice search as users increase engagement through verbal queries.
In the Skai post, The Skai 5: Five Voice Search Predictions for 2019 and Beyond, we shared that Gartner predicts that by 2020, 30% of all searches will be done without a screen.
That’s a huge shift in consumer behavior that most businesses just aren’t ready for.
It’s here!
If you’re not commonly asking Alexa, Google, or Siri where to find the best sushi nearby or how to get red wine out of carpet yet, you most likely will in the future. The search is just half of the equation, though, and marketers must ensure they’re prepared to meet the requirements to succeed in Voice Search.
For example, when a user searches for local business information it is the accuracy of information and content available that determines if and where it shows up in search results. Users seeking local businesses show extreme purchase intent, thus if you’re not showing up in the results you’re losing that sale.
Voice search research
New research, ‘Voice Search Readiness Report’, delves into the factors for businesses to consider in regard to voice search. The study shows that 21% of respondents used voice search weekly and the number is growing if sales in smart speakers and voice technologies is an indicator—increasing 78% from 2017 to 2018.
Over the last year, how often have you used voice search?
The number of smart speakers in US homes grew by 78%.
The voice search research referenced a Statista study from 2018 that stated 45% of mobile users searched using their voice assistants. With mobile searches now making up 57% of all searches, adoption of voice search will continue to increase.
The report also provided the following statistics:
- 52% of respondents were open to adopting voice search presently
- 60% of respondents feel that voice search will be important in the future
- 48% use voice search to locate business information at least some of the time
- Only 4% of businesses are perfectly optimized for voice search across the major search engines
That last voice search research bullet is alarming given its growth and prevalence in key marketing conversations taking place in the digital landscape today. If you find yourself falling behind in voice search preparedness, there are steps you can take to improve your results.
- Submit your listings to Google My Business, but don’t ignore Bing and Yahoo
- Leverage the help of a software service provider
- Ensure your listings are consistent across all platforms
- Use voice-friendly structured language
How strategic is your SEM program?
For more information on how to take your search engine marketing programs to the next level, check out Skai Search or contact us to schedule a free and quick demo today.
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